Police: Kids left alone without food

A Dayton mother is facing a possible misdemeanor charge of child endangering after she allegedly left her three children home alone without food for three days.

Neighbors called police Friday morning to report that Shelaya Jones had been gone from her Auburn Avenue home for a couple of days returning only briefly on Thursday. Her children, ages 10, 7 and 3, had been alone in the house and neighbors noted that the children appeared to be losing weight, according to a police report.

When officers entered the home they found it in, “very poor condition.” There were reportedly open bags of trash lying on the floor and a foul odor throughout the house.

The 10-year-old confirmed to police that the children did not have any food to eat.

While police waited for a Children Services case worker to arrive, Jones showed up. According to the report, she said she was having problems in her life and asked that someone else care for the children.

A family friend who took custody of the children said their father had previously had custody, but they were staying with their mother while he was in jail.

Jones was issued a summons to appear in court on the pending child endangering charge.

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